\section{Reductions} \definition{Independent Sets} An \textit{independent set} is a set of vertices\footnotemark{} in which no two are connected. $\{B, C, D, E\}$ form an independent set in the following graph: \footnotetext{\say{Node} and \say{Vertex} are synonyms in graph theory.} \begin{center} \begin{tikzpicture}[ node distance = 12mm ] % Nodes \begin{scope}[layer = nodes] \node[main] (A) {$A$}; % Patterns are transparent. % Fill nodes first so paths don't show through \node[main, draw = white] (B1) [above left of = A] {$\phantom{B}$}; \node[main, draw = white] (C1) [below left of = A] {$\phantom{C}$}; \node[main, draw = white] (D1) [below right of = A] {$\phantom{D}$}; \node[main, draw = white] (E1) [above right of = A] {$\phantom{E}$}; \node[main, hatch] (B) [above left of = A] {$B$}; \node[main, hatch] (C) [below left of = A] {$C$}; \node[main, hatch] (D) [below right of = A] {$D$}; \node[main, hatch] (E) [above right of = A] {$E$}; \end{scope} % Edges \draw (A) edge (B) (A) edge (C) (A) edge (D) (A) edge (E) ; \end{tikzpicture} \end{center} \definition{Vertex Covers} A \textit{vertex cover} is a set of vertices that includes at least one endpoint of each edge. $B$ and $D$ form a vertex cover of the following graph: \begin{center} \begin{tikzpicture}[ node distance = 12mm ] % Nodes \begin{scope}[layer = nodes] \node[main] (A) {$A$}; % Patterns are transparent. % Fill nodes first so paths don't show through \node[main, draw = white] (B1) [right of = A] {$\phantom{B}$}; \node[main, hatch] (B) [right of = A] {$B$}; \node[main, draw = white] (D1) [below of = B] {$\phantom{D}$}; \node[main, hatch] (D) [below of = B] {$D$}; \node[main] (C) [right of = B] {$C$}; \node[main] (E) [right of = D] {$E$}; \end{scope} % Edges \draw (A) edge (B) (B) edge (C) (B) edge (D) (D) edge (E) ; % Flow \draw[path] (B) -- (A) (B) -- (C) (B) -- (D) (D) -- (E) ; \end{tikzpicture} \end{center} \vfill \pagebreak \problem{} Let $G$ be a graph with a set of vertices $V$. \\ Show that $S \subset V$ is an independent set iff $(V - S)$ is a vertex cover. \\ \hint{$(V - S)$ is the set of elements in $V$ that are not in $S$.} \begin{solution} Suppose $S$ is an independent set. \begin{itemize} \item [$\implies$] All edges are in $(V - S)$ or connect $(V - S)$ and $S$. \item [$\implies$] $(V - S)$ is a vertex cover. \end{itemize} \linehack{} Suppose $S$ is a vertex cover. \begin{itemize} \item [$\implies$] There are no edges with both endpoints in $(V - S)$. \item [$\implies$] $(V - S)$ is an independent set. \end{itemize} \end{solution} \vfill \problem{} Consider the following two problems: \begin{itemize} \item Given a graph $G$, determine if it has an independent set of size $\geq k$. \item Given a graph $G$, determine if it has a vertex cover of size $\leq k$. \end{itemize} Show that these are equivalent. In other words, show that an algorithm that solves one can be used to solve the other. \begin{solution} This is a direct consequence of \ref{IndepCover}. You'll need to show that the size constraints are satisfied, but that's fairly easy to do. \end{solution} \vfill \pagebreak